Hydrant-valve-operating mechanism



[nnsiar James McKenzie Oct. 26 1926 J. MGKENZIE HYDRANT VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM FiledI March 12, 1926 Patented Oct. 26, 1926.

UNITED STATES JAMES IVICKENZIE, OF ETOBICOKE, ONTARIO, CANADA.

HYDRANT-VALVE-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Application filed March 12, 1926. Serial No. 94,298.

My invention relates to improvements in hydrant valve operating mechanism, and the object of the invention is to provide an operating mechanism for the valve which will permit ot the controlled closing of the valve and thus eliminate water hammer, and yet at the same time so construct the hydrant that the opening of thepdrip valve takes place after the closing of the hydrant valve by the continued operation or the main valve stem to correspond with the'present practice, also to prevent the straining and distorting oi: the valve by undue pressure exerted by the operator, and furthe-r to prevent the turning of the valve Varound the stem when free of the valve seat and the consequent leakage due to the turning ot the valve around an eccentrically positioned valve stem, and it consists essentially of the 0 arrangement and constructionbi' parts as hereinafter more particularly explained.

Fig. l is a sectional view through a hydrant showing my valve operating mechanism applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail of the main valve and adjacent parts shown in the open position with the drip valve in the closed position.

Fig. 3 is a similar view to Figure 2 show- 30 ing the main valve in the closed position and 'the drip valve still in the closed position.

Fig. t is a similar viewto Figures 2 and 3 showing the main valve closed and the drip valve in the open position.

Fig. 5 is a i'urther enlarged sectional detail showing the connection between the main valve head and the main valve stem.

In the drawings like characters of retercnce indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

l indicates a hydrant of' usual construction provided with a main valve stein 2 operating therein. 2O is a screw spindle journalled in the upper end of the hydrant and provided with a threaded portion 2X engaging the internal thread of a turn buckle 2 which is formed integral with the valve stem 2.

It will thus be seen that when a wrench is applied to the squared upper end of the spindle 2O and the spindle rotated that the valve stem is carried downward by a direct thrust and the valve lifted off its seat without any rotary motion.

3 is a main valve seat and 4 a drip oriiice. 5 is a drip valve secured to the main valve stem 2, and 6 is the main valve of the hydrant coacting with the valve seat 3. The drip valve 5 coacts with vertical guideways 1X formed in the hydrant according to common practice.

I will now describe the means by which the main valve 6 is mounted upon the main valve stem 2 so as to permit of the positive controlled closing oi' the main valve and yet permit of the moving of the drip valve to the open position by the continued operation of the main valve stem 2 after the closlng oi the main valve 6.

7 is a tapered sleeve which is mounted upon the lower end of the valve stem 2 in a stationary position. 8 is a sleeve surrounding the sleeve 7 and internally tapered to correspond with the external taper otl the sleeve 7 so that when the sleeves 7 and 8 are forced longitudinally into engagement one with the other the sleeve 8 wedges upon the sleeve 7. 9 is a shoulder formed on the sleeve S against which the main valve 6 is held by suitable securing means, such as a dome nut 10.

The lower end of the main valve stem 2 is provided with a reduced threaded extension 11 upon which nuts 13 are threaded so as to prevent the sleeve 8 from passing off the stem 2.

Then it is desired to open the main valve 6 the hydrant spindle 2O is turned so as to carry the main valve stem 2 downward and thereby carry the tapered sleeve member 7 into wedging contact with the internal taper of the sleeve 8, such sleeve being held stationary together with the valve 6 in its seated position by the water pressure exerted against the lower face of the valve. The valve 6 by the continued downward movement of the valve stem is then forced olf its seat .against the water pressure exerted against the lower face thereof which pressure retains the inner and outer sleeve in engagement during the time the valve is unseated. Simultaneously by this operation the drip valve 5 is carried to its closed position. Then it is desired to close the valve the spindle 2o is turned in the opposite direction exerting an upward draw upon the valve spindle 2O to carry the valve to its seating position. l/Jhen the valve is seated Vby this operation a slight eXtra pressure is necessary to tree the tapered member 7 from the tapered member 8. The freeing of these tapered members insures the Llull seating or the valve and also warns the operator by resistance to manual pressure that the valve is seated and the spindle 2 nust be further turned in order to carry the drip Valve again to itsopen position. The operator 'further continues the turning operation until the nuts 13 engage the lower end or the member 7, the contact of these members being 'felt by the operator and thus lniiorming him' that the operation is complete.

ln the construction hitherto employed the valve ste a was lowered in the same manner described until the shoulder on the stem reached the parallel sleeve member which corresponds'to the sleeve member T of the applicants construction, thereby closing the drip orilice, but as soon as the valve left its seat the valve was 'free to rotate around the stem or more up and down a distance regulated by the space between the Valve stem shoulder and the nuts corresponding to the nuts l?) in the applicants construction. rlhis movement caused water hammer, the operator haring no control over the Valve when partially closed and the out rush of water would lift the valve and seat it suddenly.

ln many cases the valve stem is distorted so to be eccentric to the centre of the Valve seat. The valve when mounted on the eccentric stem fits itself to its seat in one given position and it will therefore be readily seen that when the Valve is treed from its seat and is rotated around the eccentric stem by water pressure it will be out of alignment with the seat and that when it is again reseated it must be redistorted in order to be lneught into alignment with the valve seat, the stem remaining eccentric to properly seat, or if such is not done the Valve will not ht its seat accurately and cause leakage, such leakage if small passing through the drain oriiice and in the course of time soaking the surrouiuling ground which becomes saturated thus preventing its escape, the water then gradually collecting in the hydrant wnich is then in danger of being frozen up.

lly my construction also the initial seating of the valve and the following disengagement et the tapered members warns the operator that the operation is nearly complete and that only a very short upward movement is necessary to carry the drain Valve to its open position, and when such valve is carried to its open position the operator is again notitied by his feeling the nuts 13 engaging the lower end ot the tapered member 7 requiring him to immediately stop operation.

.ln the old construction no warning is given ol the valve approaching its linal seat-l ing position and the consequence the operator very oiiten pulls the valve too tight so as to strain and distort the valve.

lt will also be understood that the seating pressure ot the Valve is regulated by the pressure in the main for the reason that the strength of the wedging el'l'ect produced; when opening the Valve is necessarily pro--I portionate to the resistance of the water pressure, that is to say, the greater the water pressure the stronger will be the wedging effect, and that therefore when the alve is returned to its seat a greater st 'ain is necessary to tree the wedging members when the water pressure is greater than would be the case when the water pressure is small, and therefore the seating eli'cct upon the valve is correspondingly proportionate, that is, greater when the 'water pressure is greater and smaller when the water pressure is smaller.

1What l claim as my invention is:

l. ln a hydrant valve operating mechanism, the eon'ibination with a hydrant casing provided with a main valve seat and a main valye stem, et a main valve, and means for mounting the main valve upon the stem to have wedging contact therewith when the Valve is carried downward by the stem to its unseated position.

2. ln a hydrant valve operating mechanism, the Combination with hydrant casing having a main valve seat and a main valve operating stem, el an annular main Valve surrounding the stem and eoacting with the main valve seat, wedging sleeves carried by the main valve and stem adapted to be carried into wcdging contact when the main Valve is 'forced 'from its seat during the downward movement ot the Valve stem.

3. In a hydrant valve operating mechanism, the combination with a hydrant casing haring a main valve seat and a main valve operating stem, of an externally downwardly tapered inner sleeve surrounding and secured to the stein, a correspondingly internally tapered outer sleeve surrounding the externally tapered inner sleeve, a main valve carried by the outer sleeve, and means for limiting the upward movement ot the inner sleeve in the outer sleeve alter the seating ol the main valve.

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